In 1847 a road was surveyed from Dandenong to Gippsland along the edge of the ranges (1). When this proved to be impassable in places, a new road, which became the coach route, was surveyed between 1857 and 1859 by A. S. Campbell, even though planning had commenced in 1855 (2). This road went through Cannibal Creek (around where Bassed road is in North Garfield) and through the old township of Buneep and onto Crossover (3). Jabez Janes operated a 'beer house' from 1866 at Cannibal Creek, you can read about him here. The Melbourne to Sale telegraph line followed this new road in 1865 (4). This later gave the road the name of Old Telegraph Road and where it crossed the Bunyip River was where the aforementioned town of Buneep was established (where modern day Ellis Road would cross the Bunyip River). This town was surveyed in the 1850s - it had a High Street and a Barkly Street (you can see the Survey Plan, below)
This is the township of Buneep, surveyed in the 1850s. Click on image to enlarge.
This is from a Bunyip Parish Plan, which was on-line at either the State Library of Victoria or the Public Records Office of Victoria in 2015, but I can't find seem to access it now.
This is a map I drew years ago, which shows the old Coach Road /Old Telegraph Road
and Old Sale road.
The book, In the Wake of the Pack Tracks says that in 1857 David Connor (1821-1887) selected a site for an Inn at the Bunyeep township and it was built in the early 1860s, and this was called the Buneep Inn (later the Old Bunyeep Inn). In 1869, John Rhoden became the proprietor, he was a son-in-law of David Connor (5) It was actually built much earlier than this, he was granted a licence in September 1854, see notice from The Argus, below.
Licence granted to David Connor
This earlier date for the establishment of David Connor's Inn is also confirmed from a 1855 report of the road that A.N. Campbell was planning to survey. The Argus reported in the November that the contemplated road adopts the present Gipps Land Road, via Dandenong, as far as Mount Ararat, thence it would bear E.N.E., along undulating ridges, avoiding most of the swampy land towards the Bunyip River, and leaving Cannibal Hill on the south. Crossing the Bunyip River at Connor's Inn....(6)
I do not know when the Bunyeep Inn was closed, I believe around the mid 1880s (7) and the history is obscured by the fact that the New Bunyip Inn (see below) was later also called the Old Bunyip Inn.
This advertisement from The Argus, October 1865 advises that you could catch a mail coach at 5.00pm Monday to Saturday and have a 36 hour trip all the way to Sale, stopping at Bunyip (the old township of Bunyeep). That would have been a fairly rugged 36 hours!
Bunnyip Hotel, North Gippsland, c. 1880-1885 [David Connor's New Bunyip Inn]
Photographer: Fred Kruger. State Library of Victoria Image H41138/11
Around 1867, David Connor’s New Bunyip Inn, was established. It is pictured above. This was built on the Bunyip River on the Gippsland Road, as the Princes Highway was then called. It was on the south side of the Highway, just east of A'Beckett Road and the west side of the Bunyip River. (8) At this time, the coach route, instead of crossing the Cannibal Creek in a north-easterly direction, followed the south bank in an easterly direction to reach this new hotel (9). This road eventually became known as the Old Sale Road.
The red circle, shows the location of the New Bunyip Inn, on the Gippsland Road,
and the small settlement that surrounded it. Click on image to enlarge.
This is from a Bunyip Parish Plan, which was on-line at either the State Library of Victoria or the Public Records Office of Victoria in 2015, but I can't find seem to access it now.
A small settlement developed around the Inn, including the establishment of a bakery by William Snell in 1878 and a dance hall erected by Mr Hyne, opposite the Inn. (10) Around 1885 (11) David Devenay took over this Hotel. His surname is also spelt in various sources as Devanny, Deveney or Deveny and some sources also say that he is the son-in-law of David Connor, but that is incorrect (12). There was a double tragedy at the New Bunyip Hotel in 1909 when David and his wife, Eleanor (also known as Ellen) died. Eleanor, aged 59, was tragically burnt to death when her dress caught fire and she passed away two days later on November 22. David, her invalid husband, aged 80, died of shock as a result on November 24 (13).
In 1911,the property was sold to Fred William Cock of Broadmeadows (14). The Hotel was the subject of a hearing by the Licensing Reduction Board in 1917. The Hearing of the Board which took place in May 1917, and was reported on in the Dandenong Advertiser, gives us some idea of the building and clientele of the Hotel. It was single story weatherboard 17 rooms, 8 bed rooms for public in fair repair, well conducted...was on the Gippsland road, which was a three chain road and was used for travelling stock; it was a house of resort for sportsmen, the Bunyip and Tarrago rivers were close to the hotel; Ararat creek was the next nearest water on the east, and 5 miles on the west; there were 30 acres of land attached; at week ends there were up to 14 people staying at the hotel, and more during the holidays. Evidence from drover Robert O'Doherty of Flemington, said he stopped at the Gippsland now for 20 years; the Gippsland Hotel was one of the best places for stopping; he had had 3,000 sheep there (15) Sadly for the New Bunyip Hotel, it was closed by the Licensing Court and the then owner, Mrs Rebecca Wilson, was awarded £375 in compensation (16).
The closure of the New Bunyip Hotel was announced in June 1917.
As well as being involved in the Old and New Bunyip Hotels, David Connor also built in 1863 the Halfway House Hotel. It was on the Gippsland Road, west of Abrehart Road. It was de-licensed in 1899 (17). The building was much later moved to the Gippsland Folk Museum.
Labelled as Bunyip Hotel, Bunyip c. 1890 - but is this actually in Bunyip?
This photograph is the Bunyip Hotel, George Stevens, Licensed Victualler. It's location is labelled on the Museums Victoria website as Bunyip, but this is incorrect. It's obviously not the New Bunyip Inn, as the building in the top photo has a sign which says, New Bunyip Hotel, and this is clearly a different building. It is not a forerunner of the Railway Hotel and Gippsland Hotel in the township of Bunyip, as the landscape is wrong and I feel it is unlikely to be the original Bunyip Inn as, I can't see that there would have been enough traffic to sustain such a large building. I am suggesting that it could be the Bunyip Hotel in Cavendish - it's been around since at least the 1860s and modern day photos, show that the 1930s existing building is on a corner like this on flat ground.
Overview of the Bunyip townships, they moved south each time.
Click on image to enlarge.
This is from a Bunyip Parish Plan, which was on-line at either the State Library of Victoria or the Public Records Office of Victoria in 2015, but I can't find seem to access it now.
The township of Bunyip moved again after the establishment of the
Gippsland Railway Line. The line was completed from Oakleigh to Bunyip in October 1877. This saw the establishment of two other Bunyip Hotels in 1876 as firstly the line from Morwell to Bunyip wasn't completed until March 1878, so travellers had to stop over at Bunyip and continue by coach, secondly the hotels serviced the locals and the workers on the railway line. The book
Call of the Bunyip: history of Bunyip, Iona and Tonimbuk says that the Hotels were the Butcher's Arms and the Bunyip Hotel and that John O'Brien had the licence for the Bunyip Hotel and in January 1877 he took up the licence for the Railway Family Hotel
(18). I found the following references on Trove, from the 1870s, to the Hotels in the new town of Bunyip, based around the railway line - In October 1877 at the Shire of Berwick Council meeting - the application for transfer of publican's license was read from John O'Brien for a house at Bunyip (19). I do not know where it was either transferred from or to. In January 1878 the Bewick Licensing Court renewed licences for Maurice Connor, new Bunyip Hotel, David Connor jun., Bunyip and William Goldie, Bunyip (20). Maurice and David were the sons of David Connor. We know where the New Bunyip Hotel is I don't know anything about the other two Hotels, but I presume David Connor jun. had the Old Bunyip Hotel. It's possible that William Goldie should actually be William Hobson of the Railway Hotel, more of whom later. In July 1878, there was a well reported meeting at O'Brien's Family Hotel in Bunyip (21).
Licences renewed for local Hotels
In March 1879, three Melbourne newspapers carried the marriage notice of William Hobson of the Bunyip Railway Hotel to Sarah McKernan. The marriage certificate lists his age at 47 and her age at 29. He was a widower, born in Manchester in England, with no children and his address was Bunyip. She was a Spinster, born in Newton Stewart, County Tyrone Ireland and living at 26 Moray Place, Emerald Hill (South Melbourne). What was recorded in the marriage certificate wasn't actually all totally true as I believe Sarah was actually 39 and had been in a previous relationship with a William Dethmore of Yandoit and had given birth to four children, three sons and a daughter, however that is a story for another day (22).
Marriage notice of William Hobson and Sarah McKernon
William and Sarah Hansen operated the Railway Hotel, until William's death on September 30, 1883 at the age of 56. When he died his Will described the Hotel as a weatherboard building with Iron roof and containing 5 rooms erected on Crown Lands at Bunyip, occupied under a business lease, erected four years ago and used as a public house with the remains of an older building in the rear. It was valued at £60 (23).
Part of William Hobson's Will
Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 28/P0002, 26/949
In 1885, Sarah married Christian Hansen and they had a son Frederick Christian, the same year (24). Sarah continued to operate the Hotel. Sadly September 6, 1889 the Hotel burnt down and it was reported in the Warragul Guardian - A fire which resulted in the total destruction of Mrs. Hansen's hotel, Bunyip, occurred about three o'clock on Friday morning. The flames had obtained such a hold before the alarm was given that very little was saved, both water and assistance being limited. The damage is covered by a policy in the Colonial Fire Insurance Company for £1,200 (25).
The Railway Hotel at Bunyip, c. 1915
On December 6, 1889 Thomas Stacey took over the Railway Hotel from Mrs Hansen, even though she still owned the property, and it appeared to be his responsibility to rebuild the Hotel
(26). This proved to be an unhappy relationship. Mr Stacey took Mrs Hansen to Court in August 1892 as he claimed she liabelled him; Mrs Hansen took Mr Stacy to Court in November 1892 to recover money from him, she claimed she was owed; in May 1893 they were back in Court again when she accused him of perjury; and in December 1894 they were in the Supreme Court where a decision had to be made on an
action brought by Thomas Stacey against Sarah Hansen, to restrain the defendant from exercising the power of sale contained in a mortgage deed. (27). I have transcribed some of these legal cases,
here. There was another case involving the families in November 1892 when Mrs Hansen's daughter, Christina Dethmore, sued Thomas Stacey's wife, Ann for slander. Mrs Stacey had implied that 20 year old Christina, a
woman of ladylike apparence, had had children out of wedlock, which of course was considered to be quite scandalous at the time. Christina won her case and was awarded £60 in damages
(28). Christina married her finance, William Shiell in December 1892, had two little girls Gladys and Ruby, and then tragically died at only 25 years of age in November 1897 after an operation at the Alfred Hospital
(29).
The Railway Hotel, c. 1925
Thomas Stacey operated the Railway Hotel until his death on January 26, 1928. The book Call of the Bunyip: history of Bunyip, Iona and Tonimbuk says the Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1924 (30) but an article in The Argus (see below) says that it was demolished in late 1923 - so not sure which is correct. the new building was officially opened on October 9 1924.
Railway Hotel is being pulled down
The opening of the new Railway Hotel
The other Hotel in Main Street, Bunyip was John O'Brien's Family Hotel. As we saw before, the earliest reference I can find to him in Bunyip was October 1877. O'Brien's tenure at the Family Hotel didn't last very long as it was sold up by the Sherriff''s Office in May 1881, as the advertisement in The Argus, below, attests.
Sale of O'Brien's Family Hotel in Bunyip
John O'Brien was listed as a Publican in the 1881/1882 Shire of Berwick Rate Books; in 1882/1883 Lawrence Finch was listed as a Publican, on property owned by James Egan; and in 1883/1884 Lawrence Finch was listed as a Publican and the property owner. Lawrence Finch had the Gippsland Hotel, so I believe this was the renamed Family Hotel. Lawrence was granted a licence at the Licensing meeting held at Drouin in December 1881. His daughter, Sarah Alice Finch, was then granted the licence of the Gippsland Hotel at a hearing in December 1897 (31). Lawrence died on January 8, 1898, aged 68. That same year Sarah Finch married William George Kraft and the Hotel soon became known a Kraft's Gippsland Hotel (32).
Gippsland Hotel and Main Street, Bunyip, 1908
Image: Call of the Bunyip: history of Bunyip, Iona and Tonimbuk by Denise Nest (Bunyip History Committee, 1990)
It was Sarah who held the licence all the way through until November 1911 when the Hotel was sold to Stephen Ryan of Modella for £3750 and the license was transferred to Elizabeth Mary Ryan (33).
Transfer of licence of the Gippsland Hotel from Sarah Kraft to Elizabeth Ryan
On Wednesday, March 9 1927. the Gippsland Hotel was destroyed by fire. The owner at the time was Sydney Wentworth Smith of Noojee and the manager as Mr E. Tulloch (34). In April 1927 the Licensing Court approved plans for the new Hotel. The Architect was Mr. R.H. McIntyre, who said that the new building would cost between £5,000 and £6,000. It would be constructed of brick externally, and of cement sheeting internally. A septic tank would be provided (35). I don't have the opening date of the new Gippsland Hotel but I presume it was late 1927 or early 1928.
Gippsland Hotel destroyed by fire
We will finish this short history of Bunyip Hotels by going back to the Butchers Arms Hotel, said to be one of the two Hotels in the township of Bunyip, based around the railway line. Was this the original name for the Family Hotel, which became the Gippsland Hotel or was it the original name for the Railway Hotel? I cannot tell you and I cannot find any information about it al all.
Trove list - I have created a list of articles connected to the early history of the Hotels in Bunyip, access it
here.
Footnotes
(1) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen: a brief history of the Shire of Berwick (Historical Society of Berwick, 1962) p. 18. Daley, Charles The Story of Gippsland (Whitcombe & Tombs, 1960), p. 74.
(2) Daley, Charles
The Story of Gippsland (Whitcombe & Tombs, 1960), p. 79, and
The Argus, November 14, 1855, see
here.
(3) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, op. cit., p. 19
(4) Ibid
(5) In the Wake of the Pack Tracks: a history of the Shire of Berwick (Berwick Pakenham Historical Society, 1982), p. 39. David Conner's family is listed in Early Settlers of the Casey Cardinia District (Narre Warren & District Family History Group, 2010) - David Connor (1821-1887) m Honora Connor (1810-1899) in 1841 in Melbourne and they had the following children - John (1842), David (1843), William (1845), Ellen (1846), Maurice (1849), Catherine (1851), James (1859) and Francis (1864). It was Catherine who was married to John Rhoden.
(6)
The Argus, November 14, 1855, see
here.
(7) I am basing this date on the fact that in the 1884/1885 Shire of Berwick rate Books, David Connor, junior, was no longer listed as a Publican.
(8) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, op. cit., p. 54
(9) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, op. cit., p. 19
(10)
From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, op. cit., p. 54
(11) David Devenay is first listed as a Publican in the Shire of Berwick Reate Books in 1885.
(12) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen on page 54, says he is a son-in-law. However, David Devenay (1829-1909) was married to Eleanor (also known as Ellen) Fitzpatrick.
(13)
The Age, November 23, 1909, see
here and
The Age, November 26, 1909, see
here.
(14)
The Argus, April 29, 1911, see
here.
(15)
Dandenong Advertiser, May 10 1917, see
here.
(16)
The Argus, November 10, 1917, see
here.
(17) In the Wake of the Pack Tracks, op. cit.,p. 39.
(18) The Call of the Bunyip: history of Bunyip, Iona & Tonimbuk, 1847-1990 by Denise Nest (Bunyip History Committee, 1990), p. 4.
(19)
South Bourke & Mornington Journal, October 24, 1877, see
here.
(20)
South Bourke & Mornington Journal January 2, 1878, see here.(21)
The Age, July 10, 1878, see
here.
(22) I bought the marriage certificate. It clearly says she was 29, thus born 1850, however the Call of the Bunyip book says she was born in 1840, which meant she was 39 when she was married. Her obituary in the Bunyip & Garfield Express of October 14, 1913 says she was 73, thus born 1840. I can't find her death listed on the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages. Family trees on Ancestry list Sarah McKernon having four children to William Dethmore - William James (1866-1867 at Yandoit); William James (1868-1937); Christina Annie (1872-1897); Alfred James (1874-1933). I can't find any record of a marriage being registered, so I suspect no marriage ever took place. The first William had his birth and death registered - his surname being recorded as Dettmer (Reg. no 24985 / 1866); then Dethmer (Reg. no 11053 / 1867). The second William is registered, under Dethmore (Reg. no 24830 / 1868) I can't find the other two births registered under any surname variation.
(24) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(25)
Warragul Guardian September 10, 1889, see
here.
(26)
Narracan Shire Advocate, May 6, 1893, see
here.
The Argus, December 11 1894, see
here.
(27) Reports are listed in my Trove list, see
here.
(28)
Narracan Shire Advocate, November 26, 1892, see
here.
(29) Various family notices in the newspapers, see my Trove List and Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages
(30) The Call of the Bunyip, op. cit, p. 198.
(31)
Warragul Guardian December 22, 1881, see
here and
South Bourke & Mornington Journal December 15, 1897, see
here.
(32) Death notice of Lawrence Finch, Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages. First mention I could find of Kraft's Gippsland Hotel was in
The Age February 17, 1900, see
here.
(33)
The Age November 15, 1911, see
here.
The Age, November 20 1911, see here. (34)
The Herald March 9 1927, see here. (35) The Argus, April 12, 1927, see here.
